Treasure Island Dizzy

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Treasure Island Dizzy

Developer(s)	The Oliver twins
Publisher(s)	Codemasters
Release date(s)	August 1987
Genre(s)	Adventure game
Mode(s)	Single player
Platform(s)	Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST, DOS, NES, CD32

Treasure Island Dizzy is a computer puzzle game published in 1987 by Codemasters for the Amstrad, Spectrum, DOS, NES, Amiga and Atari ST. There was some variation between different releases. For example, the C64 release of Treasure Island Dizzy (currently available for free download at the Codemasters site) used more primitive graphics than the Atari ST version. Some screenshots demonstrating these differences can be found at 'Dizzy's Domain' fansite [1].

Treasure Island Dizzy was the second game in the Dizzy series, and is the sequel to Dizzy. The game was developed by the Oliver Twins with graphics being designed by Neil Adamson and music by David Whittaker.

This game is quite different to its predecessor, with a new inventory system and improved animations. The game notably contains fewer enemies than the previous with the game more centred around inventory based problem solving. The aim of the game is to solve various puzzles in order to obtain a boat so that Dizzy can return to his friends and family, the Yolkfolk. To do this Dizzy must journey through haunted mines, tree villages, as well as underwater. The game also features a subquest (albeit one essential to completing the game) in which thirty gold coins must be collected.

Critics consider this one of the most difficult Dizzy games as the energy bar system of later titles was not yet implemented and Dizzy is provided with only one life - contrasting with five in the first game and three in Fantasy World Dizzy, the immediate sequel, and most subsequent titles. Also unique to this game, the player is unable to select any particular item from the inventory for use - Dizzy simply puts down whichever item is at the top of the list. If Dizzy is underwater, and the snorkel happens to be at the top of the inventory list, he will put the snorkel down when the player hits "enter", and instantly die. Treasure Island Dizzy therefore requires more foresight and planning than the other games in the series.

The first screen of the ZX Spectrum version

Adding to the diffculty of the game was the fact that the player had two main tasks to complete; the escape from the islands, and the collection of the thirty coins. Indeed, upon escaping the final island, the Shopkeeper character appears and tells Dizzy that he cannot leave without finding all thirty coins. Given that a number of the coins were hidden behind scenery, this second task proved to be more difficult than the main game. Infamously, Commodore Format printed a "complete" solution and map which did not include the hidden coins, frustrating many a player.

Treasure Island Dizzy can be downloaded as a PC game from the Codemasters website.

[edit] Trivia

The 8-bit version of the treehouse village featured a collectable, but useless, object called Sinclair Abuser Magazine, a reference to the then bitter rivalry between Spectrum and Commodore owners. If dropped on top of the small pebble in the water on the first screen, the player's score would increase, but would prove useless towards completing the game.

The bucket on top of the shop, was impossible to jump up and collect on the Commodore 64 version. If given to the shopkeeper, the player's score increased.